The highest-ranking diplomats from Saudi Arabia and Iran are scheduled to meet in Beijing on Thursday, according to an Iranian official and Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awasat. The meeting, facilitated by China, signifies the next phase in the reconciliation process between the two regional adversaries.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian will hold their first formal meeting in over seven years. Last month, the two nations agreed to end their diplomatic rift and reopen embassies in a significant deal brokered by China.
A senior Iranian official informed Reuters that the top envoys agreed to meet in Beijing on April 6, as China played a crucial role in brokering the agreement and fostering communication between the two countries. Asharq al-Awasat quoted an unidentified source in Riyadh who said the decision to hold the meeting in China "came as an extension of Beijing's positive role."
The upcoming meeting is expected to focus on resuming relations, as announced last month, and making arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors.
China's behind-the-scenes role in facilitating the rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh has altered the dynamics in the Middle East, where the United States was once the primary mediator, exerting its security and diplomatic influence.
An Iranian official stated, "The era of the United States' involvement in this region is over... The regional countries are capable of preserving security and stability in the Middle East without Washington's interference." The official also said that the next steps, such as reopening embassies and appointing ambassadors, would be discussed during the Beijing meeting.
Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 following an attack on its embassy in Tehran, triggered by a dispute over the kingdom's execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric. The situation deteriorated further after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war in 2015.
For Saudi Arabia, this diplomatic deal could lead to improved security. The kingdom has accused Iran of arming the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities and oil facilities. Tehran has denied these allegations.
